Ultimate Guide to PDPA Compliance

1. Create your Compliance Team

To start this project, a Data Privacy Committee must be formed, and when required or suggested, someone must be appointed as the Data Protection Officer (DPO). Furthermore, a Data Collector should be assigned to create the rules for conforming with PDPA. To make sure all necessary resources are available in the future, enlisting internal and external legal help would prove beneficial; additionally, every division manager will need to offer their support when requested. Finally, commitment from everyone who wishes to contribute must also be obtained.

• Ensure maximum support from Top Management to guarantee success.
• Assemble your Data Privacy Committee to safeguard critical information.
• Make sure you have one dedicated contact for all inquiries and data relating to your project.
• Identify who is responsible for providing your company with legal assistance.
• Will you be the one driving this project?
• Who is ultimately responsible for your data?
• Do you have a Data Protection Officer (DPO)? This important person oversees and implements data protection measures that ensure compliance with privacy regulations.

Each team member will have different roles and responsibilities. However, everyone should be involved in understanding the implications of data privacy regulations, as well as implementing policies that ensure compliance with PDPA.

2. Analyse your Company

It is of the utmost importance that you are aware of your company's description, main activities as well as its organization chart. Furthermore, it is imperative to recognize all areas where Personal Data could be collected or processed by your firm. Not only do you have responsibility for data processing conducted within your company walls but also any external processes operated by third-party contractors fall under this same umbrella of accountability. Ensure that you have a full understanding of who is handling Personal Data.

Create a detailed visual representation of your organization's structure

Spend time analyzing the branch offices, responsibilities and location of each department where personal data processing exists. Additionally, you need to recognize any 3rd parties taking part in your company's operations. Does a comprehensive security policy exist that guarantees PDPA compliance? What level of security does every department possess? How secure are the 3rd parties working for your organization? Are there awareness programs to educate employees about their duties under regulations such as PDPA and other relevant laws? Furthermore, what type of training do your personnel need before commencing work with confidential information or resources related to privacy protection measures within the firm framework.

3. Data Collection and Storage

To begin, you must discover and document every instance of personal data that is collected by your offices or departments, as well as any third-party contractors. To ensure you fully understand the flow of all information, a Data Map should be created detailing what has been gathered and how it needs to be handled with its corresponding level of sensitivity.

Once data has been gathered or processed, it is integral to discern where the information will be stored. You must assess and guarantee that any security measures employed are appropriate for the nature of said information throughout your organization and with all external entities you interact with.

For your company

Identify the physical or logical positions of each data silo, and determine what operations are occurring in the collection area. Duplicate all forms used for collecting data from every department. Ascertain which personal information is being gathered, classifying it as either normal or sensitive according to its sensitivity level. Confirm that the selection process is legal and fair for those whose details are obtained; if not, remove any fields with potentially delicate material which isn't essential.

For your data Repository

Is data security a top priority? For normal or sensitive information, do you have a Record of Processing Activities (RoPA) and Privacy Notice for each collection in place? If not, consider uploading these documents to better protect your data.

For each 3rd party

Identify the physical or logical location of each data silo and analyze what processing is taking place in its Collection area. Collect a copy of all forms used to gather personal data from every department, categorizing it as either normal or sensitive information. Ascertain if collecting this data is legally compliant, fair for the data subject and actually necessary; remove any fields that are gathering overly sensitive info which isn't critical for your purpose.

For your data Repository

What measures do you have in place to protect both normal and sensitive data? Do you have a Records of Processing Activity (RoPA) for each collection as required under the PDPA regulations? Additionally, is there a Privacy Notice available that Data Subjects can view regarding each individual collection on your website or service?

Privacy policies and Notices for Data Subjects

It is of the utmost importance that you create privacy notices and policies tailored to your customers, employees, and other stakeholders. Detailing what personal information is being collected, how it will be utilized, who has access to this data as well as how it can be safeguarded should all be included in a clear manner so that everyone involved understands your policy. If you don't have any internal documents already set up for guidance purposes then our templates are available at your convenience!

To ensure your privacy, every data collection point should contain a clear Privacy Notice that outlines the policy for both privacy and retention. Furthermore, as detailed in the annexes, each should include a Record of Processing Activities (RoPA).

4. Risk Management

Compliance is a key component of success.

Risk Management is an essential part of adhering to the privacy act. To ensure data security, you must employ the highest security measures for sensitive information and then lower them according to the risk posed by each individual whose data is being processed. To gain insight into how exposed your company is, it's advised that you undergo a Risk or Impact Assessment which will help determine what kind of damage could be inflicted on people if their personal information were ever compromised.

As you collect each form that captures personal data, ask yourself the following questions to analyze whether your business is legally obligated to complete a RoPA and an Impact Assessment.

• Do you process data systematically or only on occasion?
• Do you process personal data on a large scale or a small scale?
• Do you merge data that could increase personal identification?
• Do you share data with other companies?
• Do you export sensitive personal data to other countries?
• Do you use Cloud-based storage in your infrastructure?
• Do you use cloud-based email?

An Action Plan for Responding to Data Requests

Establish a registry for all of your data subject requests, including how you verify the identity and legitimacy of the requester. Make sure to document any changes or updates to keep your records organized and up-to-date. Additionally, create an efficient process for handling requests regarding the deletion of data as well as appeals from Data Subjects who believe their rights have been violated.

Strengthen your defences by constructing an Incident Response Plan today!

It is critical to recognize the difference between an incident and a security breach, as well as when each must be reported. Furthermore, you should know precisely what data needs to be relayed, and who it has to be sent through for your organization or company's internal processes. Lastly, when can you consider incidents internally only?

Uncovering and Presenting Data

After completing the self-assessment, our guide offers a thorough audit and risk assessment to verify that your business adheres to PDPA. Our goal is to pinpoint any gaps in processes and data protection practices so they can be quickly rectified. This self-assessment software provides businesses with an exhaustive way of ensuring their compliance with PDPA, as well as the means for reporting back if ever checked by the regulators.

5. Compliance for Data Protection

Compliance is an ongoing journey, not a one-time mission. To ensure you remain at the highest level of compliance and avoid any security risks, it's necessary to continually analyze your current state of compliance, anticipate changing circumstances in advance, and stay up-to-date with law modifications from regulators. Here are several tactics we advise undertaking for long lasting adherence that allows you to rest easy knowing your data remains safe.

regular actions

To ensure the utmost security of sensitive data, it is essential to conduct an annual audit of your security posture. Monitor legislation and measure the efficacy of your cybersecurity plan in order to review its effectiveness regularly. For added assurance, onboarding staff should be provided training upon their first hire while all employees are required to receive new training annually as a necessity.

6. A Checklist review to close the GAPS

As the PDPA law advances, our team ensures that we are up to date with all developments by attending information sessions held by Government Organizations and thoroughly studying all official publications. Our objective during these meetings is twofold: not only do we wish for businesses to experience a more straightforward regulatory environment, so they don't have to spend too much energy or resources on adhering to compliance standards; but we also want to adapt our templates and software to help them find their exercise easier and less time-consuming using our methods.